immigration is not just a political issue but an economic one. the president spoke in las vegas but his speech was followed closely here in the bay area. nbc's kris sanchez watched the speech with immigrants rights advocates in eas san jose. kris, how did they receive this message? is. >> reporter: they were hanging on every word. all of it was very well received in one of the south bay's most vocal immigrant communities. as president obama talked about comprehensive immigration reform in las vegas, people were hanging on to every word in the sank we're of our lady of guadeloupe church in san jose including this mother who tells me she is here illegally after six tries across the border. after this speech she said she no longer thinks citizenship is just a dream. garcia is ready to come out of the shadows, as president obama put it. a volunteer acting together says families may not have to live in constant fear of deportation. >> the children, the children are divided. some children stay here with aunts and uncles. some of them are taken back. >>